Bhalla demands restoring attached specialized services henceforth withdrawn by DHS Jammu

Jammu, 03-08-2022 : JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla today visited Government Rajiv Gandhi Hospital & LRPU Gangyal, Jammu to enquire about facilities to patients after attached OPDs of Ortho-spine, Neuro Physician and Gastroenterologist have been withdrawn by Directorate of Health Services after starting OPD of Super/Sub Super Specialties at the Government Rajiv Gandhi Hospital & LRPU Gangyal, Jammu. In this regard after several deputations from nearby areas approached Bhalla and apprised him of withdrawing specialized services he telephonically asked Directorate of Health Services to immediately restore specialized services henceforth. Prominent among those who accompanied Bhalla include PCC Secretary Satish Sharma, Panch Ravinder Singh Raju, Om Parkash Sharma besides others.

Bhalla speaking on the occasion said that after lots of protest demonstrations by his party along with locals of the area, OPDs of Ortho-spine, Neuro Physician and Gastroenterologist had been started on specified days of the week while OPD of Dermatology was made available on all week days. As per the order issued by I/C Medical Superintendent, Govt. Rajiv Gandhi Hospital & LRPU Gangyal Jammu, Dr Navdeep Singh, (MS, FISS, Spine Surgery) was available for consultation on Monday and Thursday, Dr Surinder Sharma (DNB Neurology) on Tuesday and Friday, Dr Shashank Sharma (DNB Gastroenterology) on Wednesday and Saturday and Dr Saniya Akhtar (Dermatology) on all weekdays. But now this specialized staff has been withdrawn much to the inconvenience of locals and also for patients.

Bhalla further said that recently a spine surgery L5- S1 level Decompression with left sided Discectomy was performed at Government Rajiv Gandhi Hospital Gangyal , this was the second Spine surgery conducted at Government Rajiv Gandhi Hospital Gangyal which is the only Government Hospital in Jammu Province outside Government Medical College Jammu where such type of surgery was conducted. Former Minister said UPA 2 government had built this 100 bed hospital at a cost of 70 crores but unfortunately BJP government put this important hospital as a community dispensary.

Bhalla  said providing specialized facilities to this hospital will benefit Gangyal, Pramukhwani Greater Kailash, Sainik Colony Bandhurkh, Babliana, Industrial Area, Digiana, Dashmesh Nagar, Darap, Rohimorh, Langar Apna Vihar, Ekta Vihar, Shanti Nagar areas. He further said that Under the National Rural Heatlh Mission scheme of UPA government, the hospital was to house an OPD block, IPD block, operation theatres (OTs), ICU, NICU among other treatment and diagnostic facilities. Bhalla said these urban centres were opened in the city by the Health Department under the National Urban Health Mission to provide better healthcare facilities to residents but all these centres are reeling under shortage of infrastructure and staff.

The primary objective of setting up these centres was to provide basic and primary healthcare facilities to the door steps of the people, particularly those having financially poor background, thereby curtailing the need to travel to the Government Hospitals Gandhi Nagar, Sarwal and other hospitals even for minor health issues. These centres have failed to cater to the health requirement of urban poor people to their full capacity due to the negligence of the health authorities. Bhalla  said then UPA Government had sanctioned Rs 48 crore to upgrade healthcare facilities at the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital Gangyal and develop it as 100 bed hospital.

He said  the  hospital  was to be equipped with modern and specialised healthcare facilities  it to deal with the growing rush of patients and reduce referral cases to SMGS and GMC Hospitals, adding that for this purpose a detailed project report had been prepared to develop it as 100-bed  hospital. But as soon BJP Govt came to power  not only it failed to upgrade facilities but also to keep it 100 bedded hospital by reducing it to 50 bedded hospital.

Bhalla said then Congress Government had prepared a detailed project report for construction of 100-beded hospital including other infrastructure facilities like administrative block, garages, toilet blocks, canteen and parking slot besides it was to be equipped with CT scan machine, X-ray, laboratory, resuscitation room, analyzer room, blood bank, physiotherapy skin, ultra sound, orthopaedics and  other major treatment facilities. Locals apprised former Minister   problems being faced by patients and attendants and demanded posting of orthopaedic surgeon, general surgeon, ENT Skin specialists, security arrangements flood light besides matador and  auto services to the hospital.